Some vehicles are provided with an automatic stop/start controller to automatically stop and start an engine in order to improve fuel economy.
A conventional automatic stop/start controller system includes both an engine and a motor as a driving source for a vehicle. The controller stops the engine while the vehicle is stopped, and starts the engine to generate a driving force after the vehicle is started by the motor. In this controller, the automatic stop is prevented, at least, if a direction indicator of the vehicle is activated (see JP Laid-Open No. 2000-265870)
The conventional automatic stop/start controller prevents the automatic stop of the engine when the direction indicator is activated, thereby indicating that the vehicle is to turn right or left at an intersection of the road.
However, the engine is undesirably automatically stopped in a situation where the vehicle is at the intersection with the direction indicator activated but is then deactivated due to the operation of a steering wheel, such as when the vehicle proceeds to turn, but the vehicle is then forced to stop at the intersection owing to a traffic jam and the like.
Accordingly, in the conventional automatic stop/start controller, the engine can unwillingly be automatically stopped, irrespective of the driver's intention, before the process of turning right or left at the intersection of the road is finished. As such, operation of the engine in accordance with the driver's will is not achieved.